http://www.localstew.com/ca local news served up fresh Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:39:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x776481512/Corben-is-back-home-and-working-toward-recovery http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x776481512/Corben-is-back-home-and-working-toward-recovery#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:12:01 +0000 Skye Kinkade “If it hadn’t paralyzed me, I would have stood up and kept playing,” said Corben Brooks about the freak football accident that left him with a broken neck, paralyzed from his chest down.
This is the attitude that has kept the Mount Shasta High School senior going since the accident, which occurred during a football scrimmage in August. It’s also the attitude that the community knows and loves – and perhaps the reason they’ve rallied around the easy-going 17 year-old, showering him with an unprecedented outpour of love and support.
“We can’t thank the community enough for all they’ve done for us,” said Corben’s father, Kevin. “The generosity they’ve shown us has been absolutely amazing. They’ve given us the ability to provide Corben with care that we probably wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise.”
With the $100,000 dollars raised during various fundraisers both locally and throughout the region, the Brooks family has been able to purchase physical therapy equipment for Corben to use right at home. In addition, they purchased a Functional Electrical Stimulus bike.
Kevin explained that the FES bike works by transmitting electrical impulses to muscles in Corben’s legs, causing coordinated contractions and a pedaling motion. This technology will allow Corben to maintain his muscle mass and keep his body strong as he recovers.
Because the bike is connected online to a treatment facility, physical therapists are able to monitor Corben’s progress and adjust the amount of work his muscles are doing to maximize his results.
FES is part of the therapy that “Superman” Christopher Reeve credited for his own startling recovery. According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation website, research may indicate that FES awakens dormant nerve pathways, allowing patients with spinal cord injuries to regenerate and recover movement.
“[FES bikes] are pretty expensive,” said Kevin. “The closest one to Mount Shasta is at UC Davis. Now, Corben will have one right here.”
Throughout Corben’s ordeal, he has been given the best treatments possible. Kevin explained that when steroid treatments are given to reduce swelling within the first eight hours following a spinal cord injury, patients have a much better chance of recovery. Corben received his first dose about 45 minutes after he was injured at the emergency room at Mercy Medical Center in Mount Shasta.
“When he got [to the ER], they were pretty sure his neck was broken,” Kevin said, “so they began protocol and gave him the steroids right away.”
After x-rays were taken, Corben was airlifted to the Acute Trauma unit at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. He was put in traction to get his neck back in alignment and weights were used to unload pressure from his spinal cord. The next morning, he underwent a six hour surgery to realign his spine.
While recovering, Corben spent time at  Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose and at Shriner’s Hospital in Sacramento, where he underwent physical, occupational, and exercise therapies in order to maintain and strengthen his motor skills.
During the time he was gone, Corben was sorely missed throughout the community. “The Corbster” bumper stickers became a commonplace sight. Fundraisers for the Brooks family were well attended and extremely successful. Even today, dozens of cars in the MSHS parking lot are decorated with “#56” and “Stay Strong” in blue and yellow paint, and the 
large message of support on Mount Shasta’s Graffiti Bridge has remained untouched since it was painted by well-wishers in August.
Now that Corben is home, he said he’ll continue his rigorous therapy regimens and will travel weekly to Rose Rehabilitation Center in Redding.
“There’s a two-year window in which a person’s body recovers after an accident like this, but there’s no ‘textbook case’ for spinal cord injuries... Each person recovers differently – some may walk in a year, some in a day, or some may not at all,” Kevin explained.
As for Corben, he said he’s keeping his spirits up. He’s getting a little stronger every day; his abdominal muscles are gaining strength, and he’s gaining movement in his wrists. He also feels tingly sensations in some parts of his legs and feet. This is a good sign, Kevin said, because it may indicate that Corben’s mind is trying to fire the paralyzed muscles.
“We believe he’s going to get better,” said Kevin. “This is just a test, but Corben’s going to get through it... He was in peak physical condition [when the accident happened]. He’s 17, and we’re going to get him moving again.
“People ask if there’s anything more we need, and I tell them we don’t. We have everything we need, and we’re doing our part on this end to get Corben better. The only thing we need now are people’s prayers,” Kevin said.
Corben agreed. “I was so used to getting up and doing whatever I wanted... There’s no way to plan for something like this; I think that’s the hardest thing about it. You go around taking the little things for granted. You don’t really know what you have until it’s gone.”

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/corben-is-back-home-and-working-toward-recovery/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1720689830/Tule-Lake-Segregation-Center-granted-monument-status http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1720689830/Tule-Lake-Segregation-Center-granted-monument-status#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:10:25 +0000 Charlie Unkefer The federal government on Dec. 5 designated the former Tule Lake Segregation Center as a National Historic Monument. The Tulelake California site is one of the nine areas identified as part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.
A White House press release announcing the decision stated, “The last of the nine designations will bring increased understanding of the high price paid by some Americans on the home front. The Tule Lake Segregation Center National Historic Landmark and nearby Camp Tule Lake in California were both used to house Japanese Americans relocated from the west coast of the United States.”
The decision is heralded by many as a major step towards recognizing the injustices perpetrated against Japanese Americans by the United States government during World War II.
Monument status is also seen as a major coup for the many organizations working to raise awareness around this inglorious and relatively unknown chapter in American history, among them are the Tule Lake Preservation Committee, the Tule Lake Committee, the Japanese American Citizens League, the Conservation Fund, and various federal agencies, including the National Park System, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation. On the state level, California State Parks and the California Department of Transportation have provided support, as well.
Local activist Art Kameda
Mount Shasta resident Art Kameda, a longstanding member of the Tule Lake Preservation Committee, has worked tirelessly to raise local awareness around the issue of Japanese American internment, as well as issues pertaining specifically to the Tule Lake site. 
His elation over the recent federal designation was apparent. “This is the culmination of years of work,” he said. “My role has been to get the local community more involved in the issue and to raise awareness.” In doing so, Kameda has devoted countless hours to giving presentations throughout the region, educating the local populace on this consistently overlooked piece of American history.
Kameda has also served as a key area representative in lobbying for increased recognition for the site, which has evolved from a California Historic Site to a National Historic Landmark to its new status as a National Historic Monument. Kameda’s efforts have included, among other things, activating the administration of College of the Siskiyous, where he is employed as a computer technician, to help support the cause.
In a recent e-mail circulated throughout the College by Kameda, he applauded the efforts of former COS president Dave Pelham, the Faculty Senate, the college Board of Trustees, and the CSEA (a union organization) for their support over the years.   
He also expressed gratitude towards Siskiyou County Supervisor Jim Cook, Modoc County Supervisor Dave Bradshaw and Craig Dorman of the Lava Beds National Historic Monument. 
History of internment
Shortly after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, allowing the US government to bypass the constitutional safeguards normally guaranteed to American citizens. 
The Executive Order, a decree issued in the name of national defense, led to the evacuation and mass incarceration of over 110,00 persons of Japanese ancestry.  The vast majority of those incarcerated were US citizens.
The incarceration lasted up to four years for many, and those detained were denied the right to due process of law.  
In his seminal work titled “Years of Infamy: The Untold Story of America’s Concentration Camps,” author Michi Nishiura Weglyn states, ”Our government had in its possession proof that not one Japanese American, citizen or not, had engaged in espionage, not one had committed any act of sabotage.”
Weglyn’s book and others – such as the acclaimed novel, “Farewell To Manzanaar” by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James Houston, a well publicized PBS documentary “Children of the Camps,” and the recently released documentary “The Cats of Mirikitani” (which chronicles the life of artist and camp survivor Jimmy Mirikitani) – have all drawn attention to the issue Japanese American internment.
Kameda said, “The Tule Lake Segregation Center was the largest of the centers, detaining 18,000 people at its peak and was the most controversial of all the detention centers that held Japanese-Americans, as it was used to hold the ‘dissenters’ from the various camps.”
Visiting the site
Visitors to the current site won’t find much of the original camp infrastructure.  Though there is a plaque that commemorates the site and a few buildings remain, not much is left of the once sprawling detention center.
“It is our hope that this site will become an educational and historical site that reveals the stories of what happened to Japanese-Americans during World War II,” said Kameda. “We hope it will tell the whole range of stories, from the folks who joined the army and became part of one of the most highly decorated units (an all Japanese American unit) in the history of the United States Army to the stories of those who chose to show their dissent to the way they were being treated.”
Exactly what kind of funding will come from the recent Monument designation is unclear. “I think we have to wait and see how this pans out,” said Kameda. 
The groups involved in the effort would like to see continued restoration of some of the remaining structures as well as the construction of an interpretative facility that would serve to educate visitors on the history of the camp.
“We hope to have a site that tells the whole story,” Kameda said. “If they do it like Manzanaar (another internment camp, located near the town of Lone Pine, CA), that would be good.” 
Others affected
Kameda emphasized that Japanese Americans were not the only ones affected by the camps.  He noted specifically, “We also hope that it (the proposed facility) will tell the story of the local community and what they had to go through during this time. For instance, some Tulelake farmers lost their leases to the land (the land was used for the camps) and the farmers had a difficult time finding hired help, as the camps were hiring a lot of people who would otherwise have worked for them.”
Kameda noted, too, that the Monument stands to bring tourist dollars to the local economy.  “May it be a win-win situation where people are educated about a very important and not-so-well-known part of our history and yet may it help our bring legacy tourism dollars into our local community.”
History not forgotten
Japanese American Citizens League National President Larry Oda, in a recent press release, stated, “The World War II experience of Japanese Americans should not be forgotten. Our Constitutional rights were illegally suspended during World War II because of racial prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership. Having Tule Lake as part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument should serve as a reminder to future generations that this unjust action did occur, it was wrong, and it should not ever be allowed to happen.”
Other sites included in the World War II Valor in the Pacific Monument include five sites in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor itself, commemorating the attack that set the stage for America’s entrance into the war. Also included are three sites located in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, specifically on the islands of Atta, Kiska, and Attu.

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/tule-lake-segregation-center-granted-monument-status/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1049853143/Local-guide-goes-global http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1049853143/Local-guide-goes-global#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:08:43 +0000 Charlie Unkefer Whether it’s road tripping through the American West in an ambulance/RV that runs on waste vegetable oil, bike touring around Cuba, mountain guiding in the Andes, Himalayas, or New Guinea, or helicopter ski guiding in Alaska, life-long Mount Shasta resident David Marchi has chosen a “road less traveled.” It is a journey that has him regularly crisscrossing the globe in what could be construed as a non-stop adventure. 
When he is not off in some far-flung corner of the world, Marchi spends his time working as a climbing guide for Shasta Mountain Guides and running his window washing business, which he often conducts from a bicycle converted to transport all of the necessary equipment. 
The ever-jovial adventurer and entrepreneur can often be seen pedaling his bike around Mt. Shasta or ski touring on the mountain he calls home.
‘Short list’ is long
Earlier this fall Marchi was passing through town before beginning a series of excursions that would keep him on the road through the end of the year. 
His “short list” of exploits would satisfy some for a lifetime. Among them (and perhaps the most significant of all) was his recent engagement to Petit Pinson, a fellow traveler, explorer and “bon vivant,” whose curricula vitae of adventure matches Marchi’s in every way. 
Travels with Ekawa
This dynamic duo recently embarked upon a journey in their ambulance/RV, dubbed “Ekawa” (when viewed in a rear view mirror, a motorist sees its as “Awake”), which Marchi had converted to run on waste vegetable oil. The two were headed off on a six-week road trip in this eco-friendly RV to promote their newly founded international guide business Global Lines.
The ambulance is equipped with comfortable living space for two that includes, among other things, a restaurant grade espresso maker, recycled hardwood flooring provided by Terramai of McCloud, and an LCD projector that will allow the couple to host slide shows on the side of the vehicle. The goal of their trip was to promote their newfound business and, more generally, the spirit of adventure, connection, and awareness that is close to their hearts.
If the two are able to locate the necessary waste cooking oil, which is typically available from most restaurants, the cost of running the vehicle is zero. If in a pinch, regular diesel fuel can be used.
Followed by way of their Internet blog, Marchi and Pinson went to Bend, Ore., Ketchum, Idaho, Moab, Utah, Jackson, Wyo., and Telluride, Colo., among other places. If memory stands correct, they had filled the tank once with regular diesel fuel. Not bad, especially considering the fact that the vehicle emits virtually no harmful emissions. 
Global lines
The couple expressed their excitement about their newly founded international guide business Global Lines. “The idea behind the word ‘Lines” in our company name is suggestive of a lot of things,” said Marchi.  “On a literal level it refers to the lines that the skier carves on a mountain slope or perhaps the lines we pencil in on the map as we travel from place to place. But the word  ‘lines’ is also about connection between people and cultures.” 
“It is about inspiring people and reminding them about the choices we make in life,” Pinson added.
The couple expressed, in so many words, their heartfelt belief that the world is at a “tipping point,” and Marchi noted, “Through our new business, we encourage our guests to awaken to the possibilities of their lives and how they treat the environment.”
Elaborating on their mission, Marchi said, “We are hoping to establish a guide business that allows us the opportunity to introduce clients to exciting foreign locales and have an adventure travel experience that can be rooted in more than just ‘conquering’ a mountain.”
Though mountain adventure will, no doubt, still be part of the core of the Global Lines experience, both Marchi and Pinson are wary of how “summit fever” (that driving force that pushes many mountaineers to the top of a mountain at all costs) often disconnects the individual from the total experience of just “being” on the mountain. The journey, implied Marchi and Pinson, is not about the destination.
On top of the world (almost)
For Pinson, this was a lesson well learned high on Mt. Everest, 1,635 feet short of the top to be exact. It was there that she chose to participate in the rescue of a dying British climber instead of walking by him on her way to the summit, as 40 other climbers chose to do.
“That definitely brought me back to the moment,” she told reporter Mark Patton of the Santa Barbara News-Press, who wrote a feature length article on Pinson’s 2006 experience. “Unfortunately, it didn’t surprise me that people would leave someone to die like that. It’s just the type of world that it is up there.”
Instead of “conquering” the mountain, she participated in the rescue of the stranded climber and four others in his party. “I remember looking out all around, 360 degrees, and feeling this incredible peace,” she said, speaking of her feelings shortly after the rescue. “I looked at where I was and I realized that this is my summit.” 
Locally international
Though an international guide company may seem the farthest thing from a “local” business that one could get, the couple hopes to establish a home base in Mt. Shasta and continue contributing to the community, which has, in a sense, nurtured their spirit of adventure. 
More recently Marchi was in Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost tip of South America), anxiously waiting to embark upon a ski mountaineering expedition to Antarctica, where he was scheduled to work as a guide for the international guide company Ice Axe expeditions.
As fate would have it, the boat that was to carry the group through the Drake Passage, which are some of the most treacherous seas in the world, was undergoing emergency repairs. In the end, the trip was cancelled.
Marchi’s disappointment has, no doubt, dissolved, as he is currently in Cuba, where he and Pinson are doing a bike tour that Marchi dubbed “purely recreational.” It will take the couple up to the holiday season, when they will return to visit family in Mount Shasta and Three Rivers, which is Pinson’s home, located just outside Sequoia National Park in the Southern Sierras.
After the holidays, it’s back on the road. For Marchi, that entails heading back to South America to guide on Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America, and then up to Alaska, where he will spend the spring helicopter ski guiding for Chugach Powder Guides. 
Tucked in there somewhere will be a wedding.

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/local-guide-goes-global/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1196581931/McCloud-directors-sworn-in http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1196581931/McCloud-directors-sworn-in#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:05:58 +0000 Gene Eagle Anne Simons and Brian Stewart took the oath of office as McCloud Community Services District directors during Monday night’s board meeting and Tim Dickinson was elected by the board to serve another year as its president.
Simons and Stewart were appointed to the board in lieu of election when they were the only two candidates to file for two seats that were scheduled to be on the November ballot.
The board on Monday also elected Al Schoenstein to serve another year as its vice president.
“They have been doing a real good job,” Simons said of president Dickinson and VP Schoenstein. “People seem to like the way the meetings are being run. A combination of the two just seems to work well.”
District secretary Diana King, who administered the oath of office to Simons and Stewart, was appointed secretary of the board, while McCloud Community Service District general manager Beth Steele was appointed treasurer.
“Our auditor suggested we appoint a separate person other than a board member to be the district treasurer,” said Simons.

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/mccloud-directors-sworn-in/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340589/3-MSFPD-directors-take-oath-one-leaves http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340589/3-MSFPD-directors-take-oath-one-leaves#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:03:10 +0000 Tony D'Souza Jack Miller, Charles McDonald, and David Libby, photo above, were sworn in Monday evening as members of the Mount Shasta Fire Protection Board.
The three won their seats in a hotly contested, five candidate race in November. McDonald and Libby are incumbents, while Miller takes the seat of out-going member Vern Swenson, who chose not to run.
Swenson was presented with a plaque in appreciation of his 12 years of service to the district by Chairman John Santi.
The district has moved aggressively to acquire equipment in the past year and is looking at possible sites for the construction of a new building. This year has seen the most emergency calls to the district in its history. Average response time for the month of October was three minutes.

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/3-msfpd-directors-take-oath-one-leaves/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1009165080/Local-Good-Samaritans-return-from-India http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1009165080/Local-Good-Samaritans-return-from-India#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:48:28 +0000 Skye Kinkade Five Siskiyou County men recently returned from a 10-day trip to India, where they observed the advances made possible by the Good Samaritan’s Home Ministries, a non-profit organization based in Mount Shasta.
Jacob Barr, owner of Ridgecrest Mortgage in Mount Shasta; Jeff Summers, a pastor at Mount Shasta’s Evangelical Free Church; Dr. David Holst of Siskiyou Medical Group and his 16 year-old son, John; as well as Gregg Neitsch, owner of Northstate Land Surveying visited their friend Pastor Joseph Kolamuri, who is the director of Good Samaritan’s Children’s Home in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Barr, who spearheaded the creation of Good Samaritans with his wife, Shawna, and Fred and Frances Poindexter, explained the situation for the poorest of children in India.
“Education is the one thing that can break India’s poverty cycle... no matter a person’s caste, color, or creed, if they have an education, they will be respected. Education is the great equalizer.”
As an example of the importance put on education in India, Barr pointed out that a teacher who possesses the proper educational certificates makes a monthly salary of $600, compared to the $60 per month earned by a laborer working in the rice fields.
The great majority of India’s population is Hindu, while a small percentage are Muslims and Christians.
The relationship between local Christian churches and Kolamuri’s church in India began during the holiday season of 2002, when Fred and Frances Poindexter participated in the Operation Christmas Child program. Kolamuri’s congregation received a box of toys from the Poindexters, who had included their e-mail contact information. Kolamuri responded, and eventually a friendship developed between the two families, who were separated by thousands of miles, yet shared a vision of helping the poor.
As the story of Kolamuri’s work spread through Siskiyou County, the non-profit Good Samaritan’s Home Ministries was born to assist him with his work.
In 2002 Kolamuri had been caring for seven children in his home. With the assistance of the Good Samaritan’s organization, Kolamuri was able to rent a house to establish a children’s home for 20 of the poorest children who had nowhere else to go.
Today, the GSH houses 47 children. “It was amazing to get to see the home first-hand, and to actually meet the kids, to see how they’re thriving,” said Barr.
Before arriving at GSH, the children were uncared for, said Summers. “They were roaming the streets and begging for food, or bound to child labor... the children at GSH not only have their physical needs of food, shelter, clothing, and education met, but they are very well loved.”
The next goal for the organization is to construct a facility which would house 100 children on a recently purchased parcel of land near Rajahmundry. In addition to the home, GSH hopes to build an English medium school, which would offer a good education to the children in their care, as well as the opportunity to become self-sufficient on the tuitions payed by wealthier families who would send their children there.
Summers said that most Indian schools teach lessons in the area’s native language of Telugu, although all of India’s colleges give instruction in English, which can be a large obstacle.
“There are only a handful of English medium schools,” said Barr, “so there would be a demand.”
GSH currently runs on monthly sponsorships of the children. Several churches from south Siskiyou County are involved with the organization, which helps not only India’s orphans, but also widows, lepers, and the very poorest of India’s 600 million people who live in extreme poverty.
To learn more about GSH’s projects, or to make a tax-deductible donation, contact Jacob Barr at 926-6961 or  jacob@makemyloan.com.
 

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/local-%e2%80%98good-samaritans%e2%80%99-return-from-india/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340581/Cedar-Lanes-expands-with-pizza-and-sports-bar http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340581/Cedar-Lanes-expands-with-pizza-and-sports-bar#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:43:06 +0000 Skye Kinkade As businesses scramble to attract customers during the holiday season in the face of  the country’s financial woes, Cedar Lanes in Weed is taking a lesson from one of the nation’s most successful. Scott LeTendre, the bowling alley’s general manager, says their expansion is part of what he calls the “Walmart Theory”: putting as many attractions as possible under one roof to bring in different customers.
LeTendre hopes that the new Weed Take-N-Bake Pizza will fill the town’s empty niche for those who want pizza without the pizza parlor prices. For those who want to eat their pie at the alley, they also have an oven on site.
Also new at Cedar Lanes is the Ten Pin Sportsbar, which features seven flat screen high definition televisions and the NFL Sunday Ticket package, allowing sports fans access to every single NFL game.
Sitting at the bar, you can look out windows watching over the bowling lanes,and order a meal from the new, expanded menu.
Children accompanied by an adult are allowed in the bar until 9 p.m. After that, it’s adults only, LeTendre said.
“We’re the only true sports bar in Siskiyou County,” LeTendre said, referring to the fact that Cedar Lanes has a liquor licence, allowing them to serve hard alcohol. “Now you can come in, watch the game, and relax with your favorite spirit. We’re also family oriented, so you can play pool, have a meal, and keep an eye on the kids all at the same time.”
Also featured at the bar is the popular Buzztime Trivia: an online game which is played not only within the bar, but nationally as well. It’s a fun alternative for those aren’t big sports fans, LeTendre said.
Because people may be sticking closer to home for leisure activities, especially when gas prices are higher, LeTendre anticipates the new Cedar Lanes to be a success. So far, he said, they haven’t seen any major decline in business since the dramatic drop in the economy – and he hopes things stay that way.
In the meantime, he’ll cross his fingers and hope that Walmart got it right. “The more things you can offer, the better,” he said. “When people come in and see what we’ve done to the place, I think they’ll be really impressed.”

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/cedar-lanes-expands-with-pizza-and-sports-bar/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1049853141/Ice-Rink-to-reopen http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1049853141/Ice-Rink-to-reopen#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:41:14 +0000 Skye Kinkade After being forced to close due to a myriad of setbacks, the Siskiyou Ice Rink reopened yesterday, much to the delight of local skaters and hockey players.
Due to the unseasonably warm and dry weather pattern, making ice and keeping it cool has been nearly impossible, especially after the rink’s chiller began having technical difficulties, explained Mount Shasta Recreation and Parks District Director Mike Rodriguez.
The sudden resignation of the recently hired rink manager prompted the District to close the facility until problems could be straightened out.
“Now that the weather is cooperating and we have the chiller up and running, we will be reopening for skating in the evenings only,” said new rink manager Dottie Martin, who also teaches skating lessons. “We are still taking sign-ups for skating lessons for people of all ages,” she reminded everyone.
“We would like to thank the community for their continued support and patience,” Rodriguez said. “Because we are an outdoor facility, we are at the mercy of the weather.”
This evening, Dec. 10, Youth Hockey is scheduled  from 5 to 8 p.m.
Rink hours will be updated at noon on Thursday, Dec. 11. For updated information, call the MSRPD at 926-2494, or visit the rink’s website at www.siskicerink.blogspot.com

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/ice-rink-to-reopen/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1720689824/Comments-flow-freely-at-Siskiyou-Water-Network-meeting http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x1720689824/Comments-flow-freely-at-Siskiyou-Water-Network-meeting#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:40:07 +0000 Charlie Unkefer More than 50 people attended a meeting of The Siskiyou Water Network last Wednesday at College of the Siskiyous in Weed to discuss a plethora of water related topics.
The gathering, promoted as “a chance for information sharing and potential collaboration on water related issues,” was facilitated by Mt. Shasta based water activist Meadow Barr, who is a contractor for California Trout, a non-profit conservation organization.
According to Barr, “The initial objective (of the SWN) is to build a diverse countywide network to address the need for a county water plan that will protect everyone's interests in the value of water.”
In attendance were representatives of various county, state, and federal agencies, and environmental groups, as well as many concerned and curious citizens.
The agenda in brief
Topics at the meeting ranged from an update on a recently released California Trout document on the decline of California’s native fish populations, to a report on the ongoing spring studies currently being conducted in the Mt. Shasta region.
Also addressed were reports from the Sacramento River Exchange on their Upper Sacramento Watershed Assessment, a presentations by Winnemem-Wintu representatives regarding their concerns on numerous water related issues, an update on PG&E’s cloud seeding project in southern Siskiyou County, and a presentation by Dr. Sari Sommarstrom, who was recently appointed by the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors to help inform them around water related issues and to develop a county water strategy.
Ric Costales, Siskiyou County’s Natural Resource Specialist, represented the county’s position on several of the issues and answered questions.
Following is a summary of some of the items discussed during the meeting:   
Spring monitoring project
Lisa Unkefer of AquaTerra Consulting reported on the progress of an ongoing  study of the springs in the Mt. Shasta region that she is conducting for California Trout. “The study  is designed to gather baseline data about the many springs in the region in an attempt to better understand the complex geo-hydrology around the mountain,” explained Unkefer.
She said 20 springs in three watersheds are being monitored
Unkefer continued, “Between the three watersheds, we are monitoring about 20 springs, sampling for geo-chemical constituents, which can tell us more about the geology that the water flows through and if the springs are connected in any way. We have also sampled for stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, which can help us determine approximate recharge elevations. We are also monitoring select springs on a monthly basis for flow to track if they fluctuate seasonally and if they are affected by development and or climate change.”
Historically, there have been very few studies done on groundwater in Siskiyou County. Unkefer added, “The objective of the study is to determine the vulnerability of springs in an attempt to assist local government entities in evaluating projects in the vicinity around these very important resources.”
Upper Sac Watershed
Dr. Rene Henery, Research Director for the Sacramento River Exchange, updated the crowd on the progress of the  Upper Sacramento Watershed Assessment. 
The River Exchange received grant funding from the Department of Water Resources to conduct an assessment of the many variables that affect the health and viability of this watershed.  The River Exchange is working with a steering committee that consists of representatives from a myriad of state and federal agencies, environmental groups, and private interests.  
“The document is non-regulatory,” Henery reminded the audience. In speaking to the effects that an assessment document of this nature might have, Henery noted, “I think the amount of clout it (the assessment) has will be a function of a number of things, like how well the steering committee agencies will work towards finding common ground.”
Like California Trout’s “SOS”  report and the current spring study being conducted around the mountain, the watershed assessment is an effort to provide a set of complete and updated data on all of the factors that exert an influence on the watershed.  “We’ll eventually have a robust suite of information to make decisions,” concluded Dr. Henery.
Winnemem-Wintu report
Mark Miyoshi and Luisa Navejas, Mt. Shasta representatives for the Winnemem-Wintu tribe, spoke generally about the tribe’s cultural connection to water.  “We’re water people… Our name translates as “the middle river people,” stated Miyoshi, underscoring their connection to all issues related to water in the region.
Among other things, Miyoshi spoke of the importance of the Upper Sacramento Watershed Assessment’s inclusion of the tribe’s relationship to the region, emphasizing not only the history and studies done by archeologists, but the importance of the tribe as a living culture. “This is our history and who we are,” he asserted. “The watershed assessment is an opportunity to educate the public not just on studies by archeologists  but should focus to on the river as part an integral part of a living culture.”
Miyoshi reminded the audience of the injustices perpetrated against the tribe, whose tribal lands were flooded by the construction of Shasta Dam. To date, the tribe has received little compensation and no official federal recognition, though they are indirectly represented under the “umbrella” of the Pit River Tribe. 
Miyoshi and Navejas also spoke to their concerns about the upcoming relicensing of the McCloud Dam by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, noting that the agency was slow to inform and include the tribe in the relicensing process.
County perspective
Speaking on behalf of the County, Costales fielded numerous questions related to the proposd PG&E cloud seeding project, emphasizing the fact that the county, as they see it, has little or no jurisdiction on the matter.
After fielding numerous questions about cloud seeding, Costales remained the center of attention as he introduced the newly hired county water resource consultant Dr. Sari Sommarstrom. In his introduction, Costales reminded the audience about “the magnitude of the landscape and the diversity of interests that exist within the county,” a region 20% larger than Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined with a population of only 45,000. people. 
He noted the tendency that many have to be “area-centric,” stating that “It is easy to lose perspective of the bigger picture.” His comments suggested that the interests represented in the room were not necessarily indicative of the concerns held by those in other parts of the county.
Underscoring Costales’s short speech was the importance of collaboration. “We need to work together and try to understand the diversity of the issues facing our county. We’re all going to be giving up stuff as we strive for compromise.”
Costales emphasized too the importance of having experts to help inform policy decisions.  “The technical stuff is what I am going to have to reach out for.” That said, he furthered that it was his pleasure to have Dr. Sari Sommarstrom, a water expert, working under contract with the county.
Sommarstrom’s agenda
Dr. Sari Sommarstrom, recently hired under a $9,000 contract to assist the county in developing a county strategy around water issues, spoke of her 30 years of experience as a water resources consultant.  The long time resident of the Scott Valley noted, “I’ve always wanted to take the bigger picture and apply it to policy and planning.” 
She noted her connection to Siskiyou County. “I’m not just another consultant from afar. I care a lot about these areas,” speaking with great affection of Siskiyou County, where she has lived for over 25 years.
Dr. Sommarstrom outlined her two-tier plan for beginning the development of a countywide water strategy, emphasizing the fact that she has funding for only the first items on her  agenda.  Her first five priorities are:
Describe County’s current water-related strategies. Describe pertinent state and federal water-related laws, regulations, and programs relating to the County’s water resources.
Identify water issues and critical areas requiring fact-finding in each watershed. Meet with pertinent people knowledgeable about local water resource issues and information sources.
Identify available information sources related to each watershed’s hydrology, water quantity, water quality, flood control, and water management. Develop a Bibliography.
Clarify potential products, such as a Water Resources Guide, and/or various approaches that might be useful to the Board of Supervisors. Seek guidance from Supervisors on priorities to pursue.
Identify funding for the preparation of the product(s) and approaches identified in previous phase.
Countywide inclusion
In closing, meeting facilitator Barr discussed moving the next meeting to a different locale in order include other perspectives. This idea was well received by the crowd. 
Dave Webb, formerly of the Shasta Valley Resorce Conservation District, noted, “The meetings have to be spread out. The County Board of Supervisors need to get on board knowing that they have support from throughout the county. More people have to get involved.”
A time and date for the next Siskiyou Water Network has yet to be announced. 

]]> http://www.localstew.com/ca/2008/12/comments-flow-freely-at-siskiyou-water-network-meeting/feed/ 0 http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340579/1-000-acres-put-in-agricultural-preserves http://www.mtshastanews.com/news/x596340579/1-000-acres-put-in-agricultural-preserves#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:39:02 +0000 Dale Andreasen The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted last week following a public hearing to approve resolutions to establish agricultural preserves on five different properties and to also approve Williamson Act contracts for each of them.
The vote in each case was 3-0. Supervisors Jim Cook and Michael Kobseff were attending a meeting of the California State Association of Counties and did not attend the Dec. 2 board meeting in Yreka.
The county Agricultural Advisory Committee unanimously voted to recommend that the board approve the Williamson Act contracts.
The California Land Conservation Act, commonly referred to as the Williamson Act, enables local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels to agricultural use or related uses, in return for lower property tax assessments.
According to the Land Conservation Contract that is signed by the owners, the county agrees to this procedure “to discourage premature and unnecessary conversion of such lands from agricultural uses, recognizing that such land has definite public value as Open Space and that the preservation of such land in agricultural production constitutes an important physical, social, aesthetic and economic asset to the county to maintain the agricultural economy of county and the state of California.”
The properties approved for Williamson Act contracts are:
• James and Lori Baley, 117.3 acres, located in the northeastern unincorporated part of the county
• Mark and Kim Peacemaker, 249.25 acres located south of Montague
• Finley Farming, 320 acres, located near Fort Jones
• Russel J. Kennefick and Cynthia E. Kennefick, Trustees, 88 acres, located near Callahan
• Potato Karma, LLC, 224.5 acres, consisting of 4 parcels located in the unincorporated northeastern part of the county.
Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway visitor kiosks
Supervisors approved an agreement between the County of Siskiyou and Oregon-California Resource Conservation and Development Area Council and the Volcanic Legacy Community Partnership for the management of the Volcanic Legacy All-American Road Orientation Station Project.
The project will manage and oversee the construction of 10 visitor information kiosks and interpretation stations along the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which basically runs between Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta.
Supervisor Marcia Armstrong had some concerns that the entire volcanic legacy program is having an adverse effect on land use policy in the area. County natural resources policy specialist Ric Costales agreed that he had seen signs of this happening. An example was that logging companies are being coerced into not cutting timber where it is visible from the road.
Supervisor LaVada Erickson said, “Common sense has a place here, too.”
“I voted against this thing five years ago,” said board chair Bill Overman, “and my concerns back then are still present today.”
Michael Rourke, president of the Volcanic Legacy Community Partnership, appeared on behalf of the kiosk project. He assured the board that this project would not affect land use.
The vote for approval of the agreement was unanimous.
Employee of the Month
Kristin Varga, who has been employed by Child Protective Services for almost two years, was selected as Employee of the Month.
One of her major projects was bringing all the CPS files up to date.
Varga was cited for her dedication to the children she serves and particularly for her efforts in connection with the Dental Care for Foster Care program, in which she takes children to Modesto for extensive Medi-Cal dental work.
Varga’s family was in attendance for the presentation.

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